Three Views of Icarus

Centauri Dreams ^ | 05/18/10

[KevinDavis]

Two versions of Icarus are on my mind today. Well, actually three. The first is the Japanese solar sail/solar cell hybrid called IKAROS, scheduled for launch today but scrubbed because of the weather at Tanegashima. The new launch date is Thursday May 20 at 2158 UTC (1758 EDT). IKAROS will piggyback aboard the JAXA H-2A booster with the Venus Climate Orbiter (AKATSUKI), and will be a ground-breaking shakedown of solar sail technologies in interplanetary space. Needless to say, we’ll follow this one with interest as solar sails move to the next level of testing.

[KevinDavis]

For other space news go to: http://www.spacetoday.net
For a list of Private Space Companies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies

International Association of Space Entrepreneurs

[dr_who]

Hey, as long as I’m not paying for it, cool!

[GeronL]

cool

[wastedyears]

I bet Japan's version of Houston will have this playing in the background...

[colorado tanker]

Well, there's James Bond's Icarus, too.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks KevinDavis.

• Japan rocket blasts off with 'space yacht' and Venus probe

"includes the Planet-C Venus Climate Orbiter"

· join · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post new topic · subscribe ·